Cornucopia Door Accent February 15, 2014

Thanksgiving marks the last big event in the fall season. Far and away, it’s my favorite holiday because it combines all my favorite things – getting together with family and friends to dine on wonderful food and a daylong celebration centered on the bounty from the land. To get in the holiday spirit, I like to fill my house with lots of beautiful materials from the garden. I begin at the front door with a cornucopia overflowing with colorful flowers, gourds, corn, and grasses, to signify the wealth of the harvest.

Materials

2′ x 2′ 1″ mesh chicken wire

Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

Sheet moss

Grape Vine

Hair spray

Plants, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables of the season

Floral Tape

Floral foam

Floral Sticks

8″ Paper Mâche Container

Directions:

Start by cutting a 2 foot x 2 foot piece of 1 inch mesh chicken wire. Then roll it diagonally from one corner to the other creating a cone. To hold it together bend the ends of the wire into the body and curve the closed end into the classic cornucopia shape. For the open end, just roll back the edges to form a lip. Be sure to make the opening large enough to hold an eight-inch container.

Slip an 8 inch paper mâche container into the cornucopia. You can find these at most hobby stores. They are usually white. I like to use them because they are so light weight.

Next cover the chicken wire form with sheet moss. Using a hot glue gun attach sections of sheet moss to the frame. You may find that smaller pieces of moss are easiest to handle.

As a final touch, wrap the entire horn in grape vine. This gives it a nice accent and helps secure the moss.

Then just use some hair spray to keep the moss from shattering.

Now, you are ready to really get creative and fill this with all sorts of things that symbolize the harvest season, like dried fruits and vegetables as well as living things like kale, mums and ivy.

Begin by placing floral foam in the container and push it toward the back to leave room in the front for other things. Then secure it with floral tape.

Start at the back of the cornucopia with tall and spiky elements such as Russian sage or wheat or ornamental grass.

Next add fullness with gourds, corn, and dried flowers.

If you are planning to use live potted plants, remove them from their pots, moisten the roots, and slip them in a plastic bag. This will help them last longer and they’ll fit easier in the arrangement.

Another trick I’ve learned is to spike gourds and small pumpkins with a floral stick. Then simply push the stick into the floral foam. This will keep round objects in place.